Makeup Tutorial: The Daytime Cat Eye

If you're only going to have one eyeliner trick up your sleeve, daytime cat eye makeup should be it

Confession: I do my makeup the same way almost every day. Sure, I'm constantly trying the latest mascara and experimenting with a new shade of blush, but my technique is formulaic and the result is always subtle on the lips and cheeks with just the slightest cat eye. Whenever I go out on a limb I feel, well, less pretty.

It wasn't until I interviewed celebrity makeup artist Jake Bailey (he does Katy Perry's makeup) on the intricacies of cat eye makeup that I understood why I'm so drawn to the look. He did my makeup while we talked, and when it came time to create the defining cat eye shape he paused. "You have downturned eyes," he said matter-of-factly. I detected a slight frown (which he'd never admit) while he proceeded to fix (a word he'd never use) my poorly shaped eyes. And when he was finished, I looked more awake -- even happier. All thanks to the cat eye.

Not only can this liner look improve or enhance your natural eye shape, like it does with mine, it can also distract from puffiness. Leave the bottom lashline completely clean, and the cat eye will get all the attention, says MAC Cosmetics senior artist John Stapleton.

In a nutshell, cat eye makeup is the ideal look for just about everyone (no wonder I'm so addicted), and here's everything you need to know to master it.